(MANHATTAN) – Organized by Unionized Faculty and Staff of the City University of New York (CUNY), the Presidents of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), New York State AFL-CIO, New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) and United University Professions (UUP) joined with New York State Senate Labor Chair Jessica Ramos to call out CUNY management for their attempts to weaken the job security of thousands of its Faculty and Staff. 

Contract negotiations between the CUNY and the Professional Staff Congress (PSC), the Union of Faculty and Staff, are progressing, Union Officials said, but management wants to eviscerate one of the Nation’s first job security provisions for Adjunct Faculty.

CUNY management is also calling for other unacceptable concessions that would make it easier to fire full-time Professional Staff and Lecturers, the Union said.

But job security is a bedrock principle of the Labor Movement and Union Leaders and activists are standing in solidarity with their fellow Workers at CUNY.

PSC President James Davis said: “Union Officers representing millions of Workers are here with us to demand a Contract for a People’s CUNY, a contract that supports quality education for students and a stable, healthy livelihood for Faculty and staff.  When a collective voice this loud calls out ‘Hands off CUNY job security!’ Chancellor Rodriguez and Chairperson Thompson had better listen.” 

Ten prominent Union Presidents, including those at the protest, have signed a letter released by the PSC that urges CUNY Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez and CUNY Board Chairperson William Thompson to expand - not abandon - job security for CUNY Adjuncts.  

“It would be disastrous for CUNY, whose mission has been to serve the Working People of New York, to reverse the progress made for thousands of contingent employees,” the letter said.

The attack on Adjuncts would change a three-year appointment to two years and more than double the time to qualify from five years to 12, reducing the number of Workers who benefit from around 3,000 to just a few hundred, Union Officials said.

The attacks on Staff and Lecturers would weaken long-established contract provisions that ensure continuity, quality education and robust student services, they added.

UUP President Fred Kowal, who heads the Union of State University of New York (SUNY) Faculty and Staff, said: “It’s so important that Labor stand together, because if they’re coming after the job security provision in in your contract, you can be sure they’re going to be coming after the provision in our contract.”

UUP won a similar job security provision for Adjuncts modeled after the PSC/CUNY provision. 

AFT President Randi Weingarten said: “The (11,000) Adjuncts at CUNY teach the classes and do the research to help the next generation of working New Yorkers thrive.  The last contract took big strides to treat them more fairly.  But, sadly, CUNY has made a U-turn when it comes to job security - a galling move given how hard PSC worked to inject stability and predictability into adjunct appointments in years past.  Students’ learning conditions are PSC Members’ working conditions and job security, fair wages, benefits and respect mean a better institution for all.  It’s time Chancellor Rodríguez recognized that - and acted on it.”

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: National and State Labor Leaders Join Faculty and Staff at Protest to Demand 'Hands Off CUNY Job Security!' - PSC CUNY (psc-cuny.org)

Photo Courtesy Of CUNY Website.